Vote certification over; DesJarlais maintains 38-vote lead over Tracy

Vote certification over; DesJarlais maintains 38-vote lead over Tracy

August 22nd, 2014by The Tennessean in Local - Breaking News

Jim Tracy on left, Scott DesJarlais on right

Jim Tracy on left, Scott DesJarlais on right

Photo by
Staff File Photo
/Times Free Press.

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais maintained his 38-vote lead over state Sen. Jim Tracy in a closely watched Republican congressional primary after the last county certified its results Thursday night, increasing pressure on Tracy to concede the race.

Marion County, where DesJarlais lives and which he won by a large margin, certified its vote count at a 5 p.m. meeting, joining the other 15 counties in the 4th Congressional District. DesJarlais, the two-term incumbent, said it was time for Tracy to give up his dream of winning the GOP nomination.

"I want to thank the people of Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District for once again putting their faith in my ability to serve them; I promise I will never take that trust for granted," DesJarlais said in a written statement. "Now that all votes have been certified, it is time for Republicans to come together and begin focusing on the general election in November."